Obama vs. McCain: Whose Healthcare Plan Reigns Supreme?

Presidential hopefuls, Barack Obama and John McCain, both want healthcare coverage for all Americans, but they have very different ways of going about securing affordable insurance for all. Obama’s plan involves a heavier government hand, including subsidies and coverage of all children. McCain’s plan, on the other hand, relies on individual responsibility.

Which healthcare plan do you think will win over the voters? Check out this overview, and then share your opinion on the discussion board.

Senator John McCain – Presumptive Republican Nominee

Senator John McCain’s healthcare reform plan involves taking power away from the government and giving it back to the patients. He believes that families should be in charge of how they spend their healthcare money, and plans to lower consumer cost through competition and portability:

• Reform the tax code to create more choices for consumers – Individuals will have the option of employer-based healthcare, but they will also receive a refundable tax credit of $2500 ($5000 for families) to offset the cost of coverage. Families will choose their provider and deposit extra money into Health Savings Accounts.

• Insurance that remains intact no matter where you work and remains if you take time off to raise a family.

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• Expand Health Savings Accounts so families and individuals take control over their healthcare spending.

A large part of McCain’s plan is to ensure coverage for high risk patients – those with chronic illnesses, children, and the elderly:

• Work with states to create guaranteed access plans for high risk individuals – For example, establishing a nonprofit organization that would contract with ensurers to cover patients who have previously not had insurance or been denied insurance.

• Fund the Guaranteed Access Programs with help from Congress and state governors.

McCain aims to lower healthcare costs for all Americans through “common sense initiatives” that will help all families afford comprehensive care:

• Lower prescription prices by increasing the number of generic drugs available.

• Emphasizing prevention of chronic diseases and combating them through early intervention. Also, dedicating more federal money toward research of chronic diseases.

• Encouraging providers to coordinate care – thereby providing a single bill for healthcare costs – in order to lower overall cost and make each provider accountable.

• Increase use of healthcare information technology.

• Medicaid and Medicare will no longer pay for preventable errors or mismanagement.